AL-KO Corner Leg Caps: Why Your Caravan's Corner Steadies Need the Right 40.5mm Dust Caps

If you've ever pulled into camp, gone to wind down the corner steadies and found an empty hole where a dust cap used to be, you're not alone. The factory caps on AL-KO drop down corner legs have a habit of splitting, going chalky in the sun and disappearing somewhere along a corrugated road. It seems like a tiny part, but losing them lets grit and dust straight into the leg, and that's when a steady starts to grind every time you wind it.

Here's what those caps actually do, why the popular "just grab a fencing cap" fix doesn't work, and how to choose the right replacement.

What do caravan corner steady dust caps do?

AL-KO drop down corner steadies are made from square tube. The open end of that tube faces the road, so it cops dust, mud, road grime and water on every trip. A dust cap plugs the end and keeps that muck out of the leg.

When a cap goes missing, dirt can build up inside the leg. Next time you deploy the steadies you're winding against grit instead of a clean leg, and nobody wants that at the end of a long day's drive.

Why the factory caps go missing

Out on Australian roads the caps take a beating: constant sun, heat, vibration and corrugations. Over time they go brittle and chalky, crack, and eventually shake loose. Most owners only notice once one or two are already gone.

The 50mm fencing cap myth

There's some advice going round caravan forums and Facebook groups: "Just grab a 50mm fencing cap from Bunnings." It sounds easy, but for a drop down corner steady it's the wrong size.

• AL-KO drop down corner steadies use a 40.5mm square leg.
• 50mm caps suit AL-KO ALQR quick-release legs, a different leg altogether.
• ASSW legs take a 70mm cap.

Push a 50mm cap into a 40.5mm leg and it sits loose, so it'll walk off on the first rough track you hit. You end up back where you started, minus the cost of the cap.

How to check your leg size

If you're not sure which legs your van has, grab a tape measure or ruler and measure the leg across the flat. If it's 40.5mm square, you've got a drop down corner steady and you need a 40.5mm cap.

Caps made for the job: AL-KO corner leg dust caps, set of 8

We designed our Caravan Leg Dust Caps for AL-KO Drop Down Corner Legs (Set of 8) to be the correct size for a 40.5mm leg. They're not a generic fencing cap. Here's what you get:

• 8 × dust caps: two per leg across all four legs, so one set does the whole van.
• Correct 40.5mm square fit, made specifically for AL-KO drop down corner steadies.
• Reinforced back wall, so they don't crack when you tap them home.
• Push fit, no tools needed.
• 3D printed in PETG, a tough, UV-stable material, so they won't go brittle the way old caps do.
• Made in Victoria, Australia.

Fitment

These caps suit AL-KO drop down corner steadies with a 40.5mm square leg, including part numbers 654874, 654874BX, 654875 and the Big Foot variants. They're a direct replacement for AL-KO part PLASCAPS40.5.

They're not suitable for AL-KO ALQR quick-release legs (which take a 50mm cap) or ASSW legs (70mm).

How to fit them

1. Wind the steady down so you can get at the open end of the leg.
2. Clear out any dirt or old cap pieces from inside the tube.
3. Line the cap up with the square leg and push it in.
4. Give it a firm tap home. The reinforced back stops it cracking.
5. Repeat on the rest. With two caps per leg, all four legs are covered.

It takes a couple of minutes and doesn't need any tools.

Why replace all of them at once?

If one cap has gone, the rest are usually the same age and have had the same sun and corrugations. Replacing the lot means they're all fresh and you're not chasing them one at a time over the next few trips. That's why we sell them as a set of 8.

Price, delivery and returns

• Price: A$49.97 for the set of 8.
• Delivery: 3–18 days Australia-wide.
• Returns: 30-day free returns.

Other small fixes while you're at it

If you're giving the van a once-over before the next trip, these other little parts tend to go missing too:

• AL-KO Jockey Wheel Waterproof Cap – 30mm
• Dust Caps for Caravan Water Tap & Hose Joiners
• Crusader 44mm Caravan Chassis Hole Plug Insert

Get the right caps, once

Skip the 50mm fencing caps that fall straight out. Measure your leg, confirm it's 40.5mm, and fit a set made for the job.

Shop the AL-KO Corner Leg Dust Caps (Set of 8) – A$49.97 →